The entire table got very quiet until Liesl just kept laughing.

Beth’s eyes widened and then Jack started to chuckle. “She’s got your number, duckie. Jonah, your lady will fit in here just fine.”

Jonah took her hand, kissing it. “Yes, I agree.”

The rest of the dinner was fine. The ease of conversation returned. Dessert was really good and served with hot coffee and brandy, though she skipped the latter.

But she was really ready to go by eleven when Jonah finally signaled it. Everyone shook her hand. His brothers all kissed her cheek. His grandfather, who’d told her some awesome stories about Korea, had taken her hands and told her it had been his pleasure to meet her. Even Beth deigned to kiss her cheek and say it had been nice to meet her and seemed pretty genuine about it. The woman had been a little nicer since dinner, not totally of course—there’d been a few remarks, but they hadn’t been as cutting.

Liesl took her aside as they were preparing to leave. “No one has ever taken her on like that for me. John defends me of course, but over the years it’s become an elaborate game.”

“Jeez. I’d suggest you try Monopoly or backgammon or something. Pick-your-family-apart seems like a sucky game to me.”

Liesl jerked just a little. “Charlotte never would have said anything like that.”

“Yeah, well, aside from Carrie, I can’t see much good in anything that money-grubbing skank has done, so forgive me if I decline to aspire to her level of behavior. My flaws are legion, but I’m not like her, nor do I ever plan to be. I can’t see the point in sitting around a table and cutting people apart. Unless I was a surgeon or something.”

“As it happens, I agree with you when it comes to Charlotte. Honesty is refreshing. I appreciate it. I do hope you come back to dinner soon.”

Raven lifted a brow and Liesl laughed. Jonah saw it and hurried to get free of his grandparents to make his way over.

“He’s worried I’m being mean to you.”

“I can handle you. I like your son a great deal. I respect his life and his need to lead it however he feels necessary. But I don’t think it’s a game to hurt people. It’s tiring enough to have to keep from blurting out everything I think. I don’t want to combine that with a meal. I like food too much to ruin it with this sort of thing. I’m not good at it.”

“Yes, I do believe you can handle me. How about if I promise to not make a game out of insulting you? Will you come to a Sunday dinner here next month? My son is in love with you. He’s satisfied with his life since you came into it. It’s been rough for him since that bitch ran off. You’re not the running-off type of bitch.”

“No. A different kind of bitch though.”

Liesl nodded, satisfied. “Yes, but that’s all right. You’ll be in good company.”

“I’ll work out schedules with Jonah about dinner.” She knew he wanted it and that meant a lot, even if Liesl hadn’t just sort of gone out of her way to give her the seal of approval.

“Everything all right here?” Jonah eased up, putting an arm around Raven’s shoulders.

“Yes, darling. I was just inviting Raven to Sunday dinner next month.”

He gave a sideways glance to Raven, who nodded.

He kissed his mother’s cheek and Carrie caught up with them, her coat in hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Grandmother.”

“All right, darling. Sleep well.”

Raven could dig a lady who got softhearted for her grandkid.

19

“So how did it go? At Jonah’s place, I mean.” Brody worked, chatting to her as was their usual rhythm.

“Most of it was fine. His kid is pretty awesome. I liked his brothers and his father and grandfather. But there were aspects of the evening that were like f**king Thunderdome. His mother and grandmother were all artfully cutting at each other. Mainly the grandmother. That part was not fun. But Liesl, the mother? She invited me to Sunday dinner, which I take it is the seal of approval. I may have to have a drink before I go over there. The stress of keeping my mouth shut probably takes years off my life.”

Brody laughed. “You really dig this guy. I like it on you.”

“He’s not like anything I’ve ever experienced before.” She paused. “Which sounds weird talking to you, but you have that with Elise so I figure you get what I mean.”

“I do. So he’s decent? I mean, he seems to make you happy. Seems to treat you well. Adrian even commented on that.”

She sent a raised brow to him at that comment. “Really?” Many years before, Adrian had seen her with another man at a club in Los Angeles. She’d been with Brody then. And though she’d always been up front with Brody about the fact that she wasn’t monogamous, Adrian had hated her pretty much ever since. She’d never lied, but that hadn’t mattered to Adrian, who loved his siblings fiercely.

“What happened, what he saw, well, that was between you and me. And he gets it. He’s protective of me. But he sees what you’re like with Gillian. And with Poppy too. He’s mellowing as he ages.”

“Hm.”

“Raven?”

She looked up from her client at Maggie’s hail of her name. Maggie stood at the front counter where she usually dealt with walk-ins and clients.

Raven stood, knocking the stool back and nearly losing her balance at the sight of the man standing there. It had been nearly twenty years since the last time she saw Mike Thompson, and he looked pretty much the same as he had then.